The business time is here and the true test of credibility awaits in the next fortnight where Swans take on the 2 best teams in the competition.
Selection has seen the Caporn experiment moved to the side and Tom Smith comes up from the 2’s. Smith really caught the eye last week! He’s a strapping lad at 200cm, 94kg with some athleticism to boot. 6 shots on goal for 3:3, he has been a slow build this year but what a time to enter the fray to show what you’ve got.
It will be interesting to see the fwd set up but you would expect Edwards will have to be prepared to play away from the goal face a bit more once again. I’ve actually felt that’s been our best set up this year when he’s been able to use his mobility up high and challenge his defender on the way back.
Stephens looks to be the other addition and Chipper likely makes way but McGlaughlin and Blakely were sore last week so there could be a few more changes.
For Swans to win they will need to halve the contest in the midfield to start. From there it will be important to play a more direct brand and challenge EF to to defend speed rather than defend the whole ground and over use the ball. The shift, slide and spread from d50 will be important, make no mistake, but when an opportunity arises to go fwd at pace from dangerous areas backward of centre or from half back it must be taken.
Id really like Swans to attack from the outset here and see how they stack up.
We will find out quite a bit come Saturday afternoon.
Always a good contest between these 2 sides…with SD due a win TBH. EF are slowly, but surely cranking up their premiership defence, and this will be a good test to see where they sit v the form team of the comp right now.
A win for SD cements a top 3 spot I reckon, whilst a win for EF just about cements their top 5 spot, though SF amd Cl could easily win this weekend as well. Good luck to all teams.
Can’t believe it will be 40 years since that SD / EF 1984 GF…that first half was crazy…SD 10 goal first quarter, followed by EF 9 goal second quarter…seems like yesterday.
High Stakes game. A win for Swans gives them a top 3 spot and consigns the Sharks to having to defend their premiership the hard way. The Sharks are looking ominous though and have done wonderfully well to be in this position they are in given the fact that they have not played one game at home and started the season at -4
So in the end only one change to the final team. Caporn out, Stephens in
I am a bit confused with the selection in that there is no obvious back up ruckman for Doc. Assuming no last minute changes who is going to take this role or what happens if Doc gets injured?
They are taking a massive risk here
Apparently out of the last ten matches between these two clubs, East Fremantle have won eight and Swans two. Swans have a good chance today given the current good form and the big expanses of the Joondalup ground.
WAG, EF have a decent running game as well mate…definitely getting a fast start helped, especially since SD have a tendency to come home fast. Quite surprised at the margin TBH, but definitely happy to take the 4 points v a class act like SD.
Fair enough freezin. Noticed East Fremantle scored 99 first half goals thus far for the season. That is the best in the league currently. Their starts have certainly been good. Have lost 5 matches so far and the losing margins have not been big blow outs neither. I think the largest loss has only been 18 points or thereabouts. Certainly priming themselves for the Finals as they have only lost 1 from the last 8 matches.
I had suspected that Swans game had been falling away somewhat since the last bye and this thought was confirmed today when they were taken apart by a very good team. East Fremantle killed the game in the first half and pretty much cruised through the last few quarters.
Barring a complete disaster, South Fremantle’s defeat pretty much ensures Swans will make the top 5 but unless they can get back some of the intensity and pressure that they had in the middle of the season it will be a very short finals campaign unfortunately.
Comprehensively beaten yesterday in all facets and the game was over within the first 20 minutes, by half time the Sharks had an astonishing 10 individual goal kickers as well as 19 more i50.
It really was a reality check of sorts. Most learned supporters and even those within the four walls would be aware of the flaws but it shows we are still a way from the top 2-3 teams in the comp. It’s as much one or two important key pieces as it is in tweaking and evolving the game style.
Yesterday not only were Baskerville and Murdoch dominating with posession and clearance, aided by a clear ruck advantage, when they weren’t winning the ball they were outhunting our mids and laid 20 tackles between them.
The important thing was that the team did show some fight and brought it back to a 36 point deficit when it could’ve easily been a 10 goal defeat. It could be crucial come the final game if South win their next 2, a 7% gap at this stage.
A massive week ahead with some critical decisions to be made, get it wrong and it could go pear shaped. Can’t really rest any as at the very least there needs to be a competitive display against Peel to protect % but there is also an opportunity to secure top 3 with an unlikely win. There also needs to be an eye to the following week when in all likelihood a win against Perth will guarantee a home elimination final. Only those in the inner sanctum would be aware of how jaded some are and if playing would in fact hinder the chances against Peel and then Perth on the back up or will a week off give us a better chance of both.
Erceg an option to relieve down back while Cartwright should again come under consideration to replace Chipper (no tackles again and only 4 in his last 4 games) or Reidy who’s no real threat up fwd other than applying some pressure. Germs sat out yesterday, was he coverage in case Doc didn’t get up or is he in fact injured? Howard and Hewitt likely to need another run or 2 in the reserves, as is Noble and unsure the severity of McGlaughlin’s ankle but he’s one you wouldn’t risk and get right for the final round.
An EP, Perth and West Coast win next week would be extremely handy ?
Well done to EF. Unfortunately unsurprised by Saturday’s result, but still disappointing. They fought it out, and despite a wish to see Cartwright in the team at his expense, I thought Chipper tried hard in the second half, along with Cipro. McLaughlin a big loss, and Smith in the ruck did not work.
We may be way off track at the moment compared with East Fremantle, but the only positive from the game is that the team should know that they can - and have - played much better football than showed on the weekend. Hopefully we can find that form again.
Thought the umpiring rancid, with a few times players of both teams mystified at decisions. Forgetting to bring a ball out on the ground at the start of the match did not abode well to a competently referred game.
I think the teams drop in form has coincided with the absence of Glass McCasker. He added a lot of physicality to the team both up forward and as a back up ruckman. Hopefully he can get back before the finals.
It would certainly be useful if the Dockers took Liam Reidy to Sydney as a travelling emergency this week as there must be some doubt about Darcy. Reidy absolutely monstered Swans the last time they played and his absence would give us some sort of chance of pulling off an upset
[quote=“DG post=237189 userid=857”]Won’t be much easier as knobel will come in. Another giant docker ruck
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Why do the Dockers stockpile these big blokes and never play them? Makes no sense and invariably they will leave seeking more opportunities like Meek did and he will probably have the last laugh given the way he has fit in at Hawthorn
Why do the Dockers stockpile these big blokes and never play them? Makes no sense and invariably they will leave seeking more opportunities like Meek did and he will probably have the last laugh given the way he has fit in at Hawthorn
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Beats me Mike, just as a long term possibility for them I guess, as Southerner said
[quote=“Southerner post=237207 userid=1210”]Knobel is not WAFL league standard just yet - would be a very long term thing for AFL
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Not too sure about that one Southerner, he went pretty good against eastland a few weeks ago and not too bad against blakiston earlier in the year. Arguably the best two rucks in the comp there. I know branchi touched him up in the magoos on Saturday. What’s the go with branchi mate, he seems to be your third choice behind strom and james? We will have him if you don’t need him, I rate him. Sorry to hijack your thread swans lads
Branch was initially picked for last Saturday but for some strange reason Curley decided to go in with a mobile set up against Reidy who then basically did what he liked as a result of that cleverness mate.
Good to even better chance he will come straight back in this week seeing James still can’t quite get his body 100%
Branch is 30 now so he’s no kid anymore
Not too sure about that one Southerner, he went pretty good against eastland a few weeks ago and not too bad against blakiston earlier in the year. Arguably the best two rucks in the comp there. I know branchi touched him up in the magoos on Saturday. What’s the go with branchi mate, he seems to be your third choice behind strom and james? We will have him if you don’t need him, I rate him. Sorry to hijack your thread swans lads
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reidys stats arent that flash bar his no.of hit outs & then you would hope they are to advantage
disposals are generally low & the number of marks per game are poor for such a big bloke & to add has scored 1.1 for the season
knobel v ef & Clare was very impressive - IMO id play him as 1st ruck
if I was knobel I wouldnt be happy playing ressies all the time & they are playing rookie odin jones ahead of him as well
as for branchi touching him up - knobel went off injured during the 2nd qt